This invention relates to an electric drive for an automotive vehicle including an electric motor, particularly an asynchronous motor whose motor housing is, at each axial end, closed by a bearing plate each provided with a roller bearing for receiving the rotor shaft of the electric motor. The rotor transmits its torque to an input of a differential gear which is switchable by clutches and which is disposed in a gear housing. The differential gear rotates two output shafts which drive the front and rear wheels with the intermediary of cardan shafts.
Electrical drives are particularly well adapted for vehicles used in city driving. A stepless control of the vehicle speed and the torque in the entire travel range is effected without a switch arrangement by means of a low-loss voltage and current regulation, resulting in a smooth, high-rate acceleration. Such electric vehicle drives are characterized by low noise and lack of exhaust fumes; consequently, such drives are environment friendly to a very substantial degree.